PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid Trump's tariffs
PTC News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding bilateral discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first visit to China in seven years, set against the backdrop of steep US tariffs that have pushed the two neighbours closer despite longstanding differences.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, a day after Modi arrived for the multilateral gathering attended by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and several other world leaders.
This marks the first meeting between Modi and Xi in nearly 10 months, their last interaction being at the BRICS summit in Russia. The dialogue comes amid a gradual thaw in India-China relations since the 2020 Galwan clashes, and holds added weight given India’s strained ties with the US over President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs linked to Russian oil imports.
The talks between PM Modi and President Xi are expected to centre on strengthening bilateral ties while also signaling solidarity amid the ongoing US tariff dispute. Analysts have long cautioned that Trump’s trade and tariff stance could inadvertently draw India and China closer, despite Washington’s attempts to keep them apart.
Ahead of his arrival in Tianjin, PM Modi emphasized that closer relations with China would contribute positively to peace and prosperity in the region.
“Stable, predictable, and friendly ties between India and China — the world’s two most populous nations — can significantly influence regional and global peace and prosperity,” he told Japanese media, describing the relationship as “vital for a multipolar Asia and world order.”
- PTC NEWS
